Winter's Child
by Cynder2013
Summary: A very short story that I wrote a long time ago. It was for a discriptive writting unit so it may not make much sense. Not about Ash but he is mentioned. Former one-shot.*to be continued with Anit-Aneet.2017
1. Prologue

Winter's Child

By: Cynder2013

Twelve long years ago on the first night of the coldest winter remembered, a baby was born. When she was born every Faerie in the normally cold court of Winter held their icy breath. The child was a pale, sickly thing with no energy even to cry. She lay in her cradle, silent and still as a rock. Even the kind, old mother bird of the nurse thought she wouldn't survive the night. However, I did.

My name,my true name is Irenatin Sariamai Tiffawany. I, not my excitable elder brother Ash, am the youngest child of Mab, Faerie Queen of the stonehearted Winter Court none of whom know I'm alive. Not my blissfully ignorant brothers, the baker, the broken baker's boy, or the wailing banshees. This is why I am out of view.

I watch the magical dancing from between the wall and an intricately carved screen put there for me. The swamp of people makes it almost impossible to pick out faces and in the babble of sounds I can't hear anyone's voice. I run a hand over the bumpy, cool screen and see the colourful gowns and the sweet, light as air cakes being eaten. Inside the massive ballroom the air is clear; the ceiling reaches as high as the clouds. I look around and my mother catches my eye. I can tell she has been putting off this moment for as long as her cruel kindness would let her. I stand on my unsteady leg and grab my crutches. All I can hear now is the swish and thud as I make my way back to my rooms.

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A/N I found and edited this so I thought I'd post it. Hope it was ok.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

My mother is going to drive me crazy.

She's pacing back and forth in my room without stopping. Again! I think she's made a permanent track in the floor.

She's upset about my no-longer-brother.

First she talks about how he's a 'disappointment'. Then she says how he's 'disgraced the family' by marrying 'that girl'.

Once she gets that out of her system she complains that he doesn't visit often enough and that she's only met her grandson once. Once she gets to the part about Ash's son she always stops. It's like she doesn't want me to know about him.

But I do.

I know about how he has the glamor of all three Courts. The Winter, the Summer and the Iron.

I know that one of his friends is a Summer faerie.

I know a lot about him, but he doesn't know about me.

No-one does.

And I'm tired of it.

I haven't been out of my rooms since the Iron Fey were…discovered? No, that isn't the right word. Since they were liberated, yes that's better. They were liberated by Ash's wife Megan.

That was years ago.

Now most of the Summer and Winter faeries regard the Iron fey as normal.

But not my mother.

Oh, on the outside it may not seem that way. Even with me she's polite about them but I know her possibly better than anyone.

She's sad that they took Ash away.

Angry that Rowan betrayed us for them.

Upset that Sage was killed by them.

Worried that I, Irena, may have to become Queen because of them.

Queen Irena, doesn't that have a nice ring to it?

But no-one would follow a queen who can't lead, who couldn't even stand on her own until recently.

I was born with only one leg but now that I'm eighteen, the age when my brothers got their swords, my mother had a leg made for me. Made in secret by a faerie that can't hear or speak but is an amazing craftsman. My mother drew what she wanted him to make and he did, no questions asked. She is the queen after all.

It's a leg made of ice and tampered with glamor. It works just like my other leg and if I decide to grow it will grow with me. Since I got the leg though I didn't get a sword which will be a problem for what I'm planning.

I'm running away.

I can't stand being here anymore, trapped, alone.

I have another good reason. I don't want to be queen but my mother is tired, so tired.

She wants rest but she can't take it because I would have to be queen if she faded.

And no-one will follow a queen they didn't know existed.

So I'm leaving.

It'll be better for everyone.

My mother will have to step up, the Court won't be shaken by Queen Mab revealing she had a daughter, all will be well.

Now I just have to decide where to go.

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A/N: Hey peoples! So I am continuing this story with Anit-Aneet.2017. I wrote this chapter and Anit-Aneet.2017 will probably be writing the next one. Don't count on the chapters (the one's I write at least) to be very long. Hope you enjoyed this one!

-Cynder2013


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**

** I, Anit-Aneet.2017, do not own any characters. Queen Mab belongs to Julie Kagawa. Irena and Marsha belong to Cynder2013.**

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Chapter 2

_ Irena's POV_

I sat in my room dying of boredom (the effect is almost as bad as iron). I was trying to think of the possible places I could go. I, obviously, couldn't go to Mag Tuiredh. I wouldn't survive long enough there. I also couldn't go to Arcadia. I mean, what fool would walk into the territory of their enemy and expect to come out alive? I absolutely do not expect to come back out alive.

The safest choice for me, so far, is to take shelter in Wyldwood. Yes, yes, I know it's dangerous, but I really do not have anywhere else to go. Now I just need to figure out how to escape from here.

I heard footsteps outside in the hallway. It got louder as it came closer and closer to my room. I found this odd. Nobody ever came close to my room. Not even my mother wanted to stop by. The footsteps stopped directly outside my door and I was completely drawn out of my thoughts. My door was opened wide enough for me to see who was standing on the other side.

On the other side of the door was a sidhe who looked like she was around 15 or 16 years old. She had smooth dark skin and shiny brown eyes. Her hair was short, just a little past her chin. The sidhe's hair was a natural color of white, turning blue at the ends. She had beautiful wings that made it look like she was glowing.

"I—I'm so sorry," She stuttered. "I didn't know you were in here."

The sidhe angrily wiped something from her face. I then realized that she was crying. I suddenly wanted to help this young sidhe. I didn't know who she was or why she was crying, but I just knew that I needed to help her.

"Come in," I commanded. She stared at me in shock. Her shock soon turned into suspicion, but she entered my room anyway. She closed the door behind her and kept a distance between us. I handed her a handkerchief, but I didn't close the distance so that she would be comfortable.

"What's your name?" I asked as she wiped her tear-stained face with my handkerchief.

"Marsha," she quietly said. "And you are?"

"Irena," I stated. We stood in the silence, not staring at each other. Marsha was taking quick glances at me, hoping I wouldn't notice.

"If you're going to stare then just stare. Stop taking quick glances. It's distracting," I stated turning my head to look at her. Marsha's face turned red from getting caught.

"I—I have never seen you before," Marsha quietly said.

"That's because I don't go anywhere. I can't go anywhere," I stated. "That's how she wants it."

"Who are you?" Marsha asked hesitantly.

"Irena," I stated.

"I know that!" Marsha said frustrated. She sighed. I stared at her trying to decide if I could trust her and whether I should or should not tell her who I am. Moments later, I made my decision.

"Promise me that you would not tell anyone what I am going to say to you," I commanded. Marsha stared at me as she thought this over.

"I promise," she had finally said.

_ Marsha's POV_

"I," Irena started, "am Queen Mab's daughter." Irena watched me closely, with her bright silver eyes, as she let her words sink into me. I felt my eyes widen in shock as I realized what she had just said.

"B—but. That's impossible! Queen Mab only has three children and they are all―" I stopped in the middle of what I was saying as I realized how foolish it was. Irena looked exactly like Queen Mab. She had long almost-blue black hair. Her pale, white skin made her hair look dark, just like Queen Mab. Like her mother, Irena was not too tall or willowy skinny, but she had a figure that women will die to have. She looked so similar to Queen Mab that it was scary. (One Queen Mab was already enough, she didn't need an identical daughter.) The only visual way to tell that they were two different people was by their eye colors; Queen Mab's eye color was black, stare directly into it and it will seem as though you are falling into endless darkness. Irena's eye color was bright silver with a ring of darkness around the outside. However, I do not think that anyone will notice this visual difference.

The look of amusement on Irena's face drew me out of my shock. She was staring at me as if I was the funniest thing she had seen, and maybe I was the funniest thing she has seen. When she took control of her emotions, she approached me making a tsking sound.

"Now, now, Marsha, you should know that pure blooded fey cannot lie," Irena stated. I was speechless. I didn't know what to think. Queen Mab had a daughter that she kept a secret for…who knows how many years. Irena grinned at me.

"I now have a request," Irena stated. She had paused as if to wait for me to ask what that request was. When I didn't ask, she went on anyway.

"I want you, Marsha, to help me escape from here. I, once again, was shocked. A princess wanted to leave her kingdom, one that she may end up ruling. I couldn't blame her though. Her mother was so cold. I don't see how Irena was able to live with her all these years.

"Okay, I will help," I started and watched Irena's face light up, "Only if you promise me a few things."

"What?" Irena asked, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"You must promise me that you will not force me to do something that I am unwilling to do," I stated, waiting for her to promise me.

"I promise," She had said.

"You also have to promise me that you are not playing a trick on me," I once again waited for her to promise me.

"I promise that this is not a trick that my mother told me to do," Irena stated bitterly.

"And you will have to promise me that you will not harm me," I said.

"I, Irena, promise not to harm you intentionally unless you harm me first," Irena stated scowling. I heard the irritation in her voice, "Anything else to add?"

"No," I said. Irena's scowl suddenly turned into a grin. The tables turned and now I was the one suspecting her of mischief.

"Now, to balance out the promises, you will have to make me a few promises too," Irena stated, "You must promise me that you are not someone my mother sent to figure out my plans."

"I promise you, Irena, that I am not someone Queen Mab sent to irritate you," I stated. She gave me a warm smile.

"You're doing a great job of irritating me even though my mother did not send you," Irena mused. I scowled at her and she laughed.

"I'm kidding, Marsha," Irena said putting her hand on my shoulder, "Next thing you need to promise me is that you will tell nothing I said to you to my mother."

"I promise," I said.

"You will also have to promise me that before you tell anyone of my plans, you will make them promise to keep their mouths shut about it, and if you don't…" Irena said. Her voice turned cold and the room's temperature dropped quickly making me shiver.

"I—I p―promise," I stuttered in fear. Irena had gotten very scary in a short amount of time. Irena blinked once―twice and shook her head as if clearing away the darkness.

"Sorry for that," Irena said, "I get carried away sometimes."

"I―it's okay," I quietly said. We stood there not looking at each other. I don't know how much time passed, but it seemed like a very long time. Finally we heard some footsteps coming our way.

"Marsha! Marsha, where are you?!" My father called. I finally was able to look at Irena.

"I―I have to go," I stated still feeling the fear deep inside of me. Irena nodded, clearly dismissing me. I immediately turned and stepped out into the hallway.

"I'm coming!" I called to my father.

Out in the courtyard, I stared out at the flat land of snow as we rode away from the crystal castle.

I was thinking of Irena, of how desperate she looked when I opened the door to her room. All I could remember was that Irena was nothing like Queen Mab. She took care of me and for that I will help her escape. I knew that no matter what happened, I would fully pay back my debt to her and help her get away from this cold kingdom. And I may know just the right person to help me with this.

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**A/N: Another chapter! Anit-Aneet.2017 wrote this one and I just want to say she did a phenomenal job! Yay! I don't know who's writing the next chapter so it might be a while until we get it up. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it!**

**-Cynder2013**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **

**Cynder2013 is not a synonym for Julie Kagawa. Anit-Aneet.2017 is also not a synonym for** **Julie Kagawa. The conclusion being we no own. **

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Chapter 3

_Irena's POV_

After Marsha left I sat down on my bed. Now I have a way out of here, but it won't be easy. I think over the parts of the castle that I have seen, no way out. My mother hasn't even let me out of my room for ages, I don't know if the castle has changed or anything.

I hoped I was right to trust Marsha. Well, not trust really. I don't know what to call it. I was her crying I think. The Court of Winter does not show feeling so she must have been very hurt to cry.

I've been packed for days, I've been meaning to leave for a long time but I hadn't gotten a chance before now. It's too easy. I started to worry just a bit. How did Marsha find my room? It's hidden behind layers of glamor that even my brother's son would not be able to push past. So why was it so easy for her to get in?

I remembered how she had been crying; tears can be used in magick so mayhap her tears allowed her to break the glamors? If my mother knew of this she would be angry, she might even have Marsha executed. In fact if she suspects at all that Marsha helped me to get free…Marsha would be in danger.

I stood up and began to pace.

I shouldn't bring anyone with me. The Wyldwood is too dangerous for one weaponless Fae let along two. My glamor wouldn't be enough to protect the both of us.

But Marsha seems so miserable, though I did only see her when she was crying. I could ask her. If she wants to come along but is too afraid to ask then what can it hurt.

That decided my train of thought changes.

I need a weapon.

Not a sword, which would be too hard to wield with my leg. A knife? A spear? I've been trained to use both; my mother hasn't let me be totally defenceless but I was never good with any of the weapons I've tried.

I'm getting a headache, and Faeries don't even get headaches!

I think I'll try to get some sleep and hope that Marsha didn't have her fingers crossed…

_Marsha's POV_

It wasn't too hard to lose my father. There was apparently some sort of performance going on in the main hall that he wanted to see. Usually, I would beg to see the play or dance going on but my father never let me. Now I all but cheered when he sent me to my room. Of course I didn't go there.

Once I was out of his sight I dashed down a hallway and turned the corner.

_CRASH!_

Blades of ice fell to the floor making more noise than I would have liked. Thankfully, I could hear that music had started and since most of the court would be watching the performance I knew that I had run into the one person I had wanted to see.

Mrl bent to pick up the dropped weapons, his dark hair a stark contrast to the pale wall.

"Hey Marsha." He said without looking up.

I blushed. "How you know it was me?"

"Only one person could be that clumsy."

Only one person (aside from my father) could insult me and get away with it. Mrl was my best friend, my only ally…oh, and the person my father wants me to marry. We don't talk about _that_ much.

"So," Mrl said as he finished picking up the blades. "What can I do for you?"

I grinned, I knew he was going to love this.

"How do you feel about breaking someone out of the place?"


End file.
